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[Computational Complexity] The First Saturday in December

This Saturday comes the annual William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition . The contest is open to undergraduates at American universities. Any number can

Message 1 of 1
, Dec 1, 2005

This Saturday comes the annual William Lowell Putnam
Mathematical Competition. The contest is open to undergraduates at
American universities. Any number can compete but each university
picks three members ahead of time to serve as the team for that
school.

As a freshman I did well on practice exams and made the
1981 Cornell University Putnam team. I rewarded their confidence
by scoring the median score that year, a zero. Needless to say they
didn't put me on the team again and I didn't even bother taking the
exam my senior year.

Some members of our community have done very well on national and
international math competitions. Some have done not so well but have
turned into strong scientists nevertheless. Other people who have
excelled at these competitions have not had success as mathematical
researchers.

What conclusion can we draw? It takes more than mathematical problem
solving to make a good mathematician.